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Revarnishing cabin floor
Hi Dan and fellow boating enthusiasts.
I am currently in the process of restoring the teak and holly cabin floor on our 34 year old yacht. The timber is in great condition for its age and I have used a heat gun and scraper along with sanding to remove the existing varnish. I would like to keep the same the look and finish that is currently existing which would be described as a semi gloss or low sheen.
My question is would traditional varnish be hard and durable enough to with stand foot traffic and everything else that goes through the cabin of a sailing boat, or is a 2 pack varnish system the preferred varnish to provide the hardness and durability for a cabin floor.
Thanks Warwick in Aus
Hi Warwick,
Personally I would use a Teak oil.
I've used Epifanes Teak Oil Sealer on a Teak step with success (although yet to confirm longevity due to it being fairly recent).
I don't remember there being anything mentioned about it on Dan's varnishing course (technically it's not a varnish though, so I'll let him off!...maybe it would be a nice little addition to the course?...) although I could be wrong and maybe I have forgotten!
Jason.
I'd agree with Jason here, for high traffic areas I usually favour oil. Finishes "heal" to some degree when someone inevitably walks through the boat with a stone in their shoe. It is also easy to top up pre season if needed with a quick scotch bright and a fresh coat.
A polyurethane sure would hold up to heavy traffic better but it will still likely scratch in time, touch ups and re coats are also a major thing. Traditional varnish would really be too soft, it will look great initially but you'd want to let it dry for two weeks before walking on it and then it would likely need attention after a short period of time as well.